Birthday Blitz: Gettysburg (dir. Ronald F. Maxwell, 1993)

Day 15, Movie 15 – Gettysburg – This Movie Is Over Four Hours Long. Naturally, I Live Tweeted It

For the record, I generally despise tweeting as you watch a movie. It ruins the point of actually watching a movie. (Though I hate capitalizing movie titles on Twitter more. Are you that excited about BRIDE WARS that you must shout it at me over the internet?) With Gettysburg I broke my live tweeting rule. Gettysburg is a four hour movie and since I knew every essential historical detail, I had to have some fun with it.

What I Tweeted

I have only seen the title menu and I can already tell that I am about to be bitchslapped by history. #Gettysburg

My friend Mallory told me to watch Gettysburg. I didn’t realize why she loves it until afterwards: Mallory is a bro and Gettysburg is all about bromances. And Mallory was very invested in my live-tweeting.’

Tweet Exchange Of The Night – One last tweet that made my night. I was perplexed by my sudden desire to join the Confederacy at the end of the movie.

Also, are you supposed to feel pro-Confederate Army at the end of Gettysburg? Because I kind of do. I blame Martin Sheen's sad eyes.

All in all, I found Gettysburg to be entertaining though a bit melodramatic. There were moments I couldn’t stand (the score that never seemed to stop) but I did appreciate Jeff Daniels performance as Joshua Chamberlain, a US Army colonel. But when it comes to the Civil War, I think I’ll stick to PBS documentaries.

As you’d expect this is required viewing in Texas (former Confederate state, we were so raring for war we impeached then-governor Sam Goddamn Houston because he sided with the Union). I think it’s overlong and yes, melodramatic, but I will probably buy the blu-ray if it’s at a pawn shop… just for the beards. :D